Day 7: Mountains (of Ice Cream)

Badlands National Park to Hill City, SD

We woke up to the sunrise and were on our way. After a full day in the Badlands yesterday, we decided to head over to Custer State Park and check out a trail recommended by the Park Ranger. Harney Peak was just about 2 hours from Badlands National Park so we hopped in the car and started up Harry Potter. I forgot how far we've driven already -- finished the Chamber of Secrets halfway through the ride.

Eventually we reached Hill City and booked a campsite at the nearby KOA. The Badlands campground might have had 80 campsites but this place has hundreds. According to Carl B, KOA is a chain of campgrounds with more than 500 locations across the USA. We drove through a maze of fire pits, RVs and tents until we settled on a site close to the creek. Currently listening to a delightful melody of toads chirping. We left to begin our ascent.

The trip to Custer State Park was an adventure in itself. We drove through a stretch of road known as Needle Highway. This curvy road would have made most men sick but Carl and I were brave. Through rock tunnel and sharp turns, we arrived at Sylvan Lake, the starting point for our hike.

 Carl B relaxing by Sylvan Lake

The 6 mile loop took us up 1,500 ft to an altitude of 7,242 ft. The view was incredible. Harney Peak is the highest peak between the Rockies and Swiss Alps. Perched on top was stone tower that on a clear day has views of 3 states: South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska. Around this tower were smaller peaks asking to be climbed. We explored for an hour, took photos, and began the descent. While the climb up took more than 2 hours, it took a little over an hour to make our way back down.

Carl & Drew at the summit of Harney Peak

After hiking, we went back to the KOA for a quick shower and left to grab dinner in Hill City. Dinner was pretty uneventful but on the way back to our car, we passed an ice cream parlor and couldn't resist. Carl ordered a combo of Rocky Road and Moose Tracks and I had Cookies & Cream with Mint Chocolate Chip. The waffle cones they served us must have held 1 pint of ice cream each. I still don't know how Carl finished his.

Now we're back at the campsite getting ready for our second night in a tent. I'm looking forward to another great night sleep.

Day 6: Prairie Dogs and Bison Burgers

Sioux Falls, SD to Badlands National Park, SD

Our day started off by eating a small breakfast in the hotel consisting of some cereal and Thomas’ Bagels. Not the most filling or nutritious of breakfasts, but it was enough to hold us off for the four and a half hour drive ahead to Badlands National Park in South Dakota. The entire drive was on I-90 W, which took us straight across the vastest farmland and prairie that I had ever seen. It was almost surreal. There was so much green, and it was all so uniform with what Drew and I suspect were wheat farms. Behind some of this green sea were hundreds of wind turbines, which seemed appropriate considering the consistent 25 mph wind.

After driving for a while, we started seeing rocky outcrops on the horizon, which ended up being the tips of the Badlands. We got off the exit, entered through the toll-like pay station for the park fee, and drove on curvy roads through the massive stone hills to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center where we mapped out our day and had some lunch. Our campground was down the street so Drew and I checked it out before proceeding to our hikes for the day. After parking the car at the trailhead, we climbed a small mountain for about a quarter mile. This was pretty much the only “hiking” we did today. There was a great view of the prairie from the top of that difficult “Saddle Pass” trail. The rest of the “hike” was more of a walk through the fields of the Badlands. The views were good, however, and to me the tabletop-like stone structures were the most interesting forms. It was almost as if the ground had just collapsed around them, creating ninety-degree angled edges to the rest of the ground about ten feet below. Drew and I discussed being inspired by these forms to build a golf course. Each hole would consist of island fairways and greens surrounded by fescue, sand, and rocks off the sides. The rock that makes up the Badlands was surprisingly soft and brittle. It seemed like the dirt and clay could easily be carved by wind and rain. While we did feel the high winds, I am glad we did not feel the rain. That would have been one muddy experience.

 Drew standing atop a Badlands mound

The Badlands and prairie

After walking for about three hours, we got back in the car and decided to drive the Badlands Loop, which is a sixty-mile loop through and around the park. We were just hoping to see more of the sharp spires and flat prairie, but we were in for quite a treat. At any sight of wildlife, the cars on the road stop, admire, and take photos. The first stop was for thousands of prairie dogs. We saw one, and then another, and then we looked around and saw the countless mounds of dirt and more prairie dogs. They seemed to be calling to each other to warn of our approaching, but we still got some great pictures. The next stop we made was for bighorn sheep lambs. There were about ten that crossed the road along with six baby sheep lambs. We then turned onto an unpaved road because someone watching the goats with us said that there had been bison up that road earlier in the day. Before we knew it we saw four bison about three hundred yards away from us in the field. They were walking towards the road ahead so we drove there and waited for them. We ended up being just a few feet away. Those things are MASSIVE (and they slobber and groan a lot.) The bison used short wooden poles in the ground to scratch their heads and bellies. While it was funny, we had to be on our toes incase the beasts became less docile and ran. Luckily they stayed calm and we drove away with an amazing memory.

Prairie Dog surveying its surrounding

Mother Bighorn Sheep with daughter 

Close up of Bison scratching itself on the wooden poles 

Bison looking off into Badlands wilderness

After going on the unpaved road for so long, the pavement was a sight for sore eyes. We drove to Wall, SD, where we finally experienced Wall Drug Store, which had been advertised at least once a mile for the past four hundred miles, since Iowa. The store is a huge chachka shop with a restaurant. We ate in the restaurant, where the food was just okay, and then drove back to camp. By this point the sun had begun to set, so we had to set up our tent quickly. As darkness fell, one of the park rangers gave a presentation about myths and creatures of the Badlands. We learned that the name “Badlands” has two possible origins. Either the native Lakota Indians called them bad land because they were impossible to farm, or the early American settlers called them bad because the difficulty in crossing them to go East-West. While this was interesting, the presentation was focused towards children, so Drew and I left early. We went back to our tent, waiting for complete darkness and then observed the amazing nature that is the universe; there were so many stars, and the Milky Way was as smooth as ever. It was a sparkling end to our sixth day on the road.

Day 5: A Sea of Corn

Chicago, IL to Sioux Falls, SD

After a great few days in Chicago, Carl and I began the 575 mile drive to Sioux Falls, SD. Quickly, the giant metropolis turned into a sea of corn fields as we made our way through rural Illinois. It was picturesque, only interrupted by the occasional farmhouse... but those were cool too. 

Eventually, we made it to our first stop of the day: Dyersville, IA. Don't worry -- Dyersville didn't mean anything to me either. So for the first two hours of the drive, Carl had me watch Field of Dreams. "If you build it, he will come," he whispered repeatedly. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, it's about baseball. That's all I'll say. (Go watch it.)

Field of Dreams Movie Site

Before leaving this small country town, Carl and I grabbed lunch at the local Country Junction Restaurant. It was essentially a barn outfitted to be a restaurant. French onion soup, chicken strips, and to top it all off, blueberry pie. I've never been a fan, but that pie was incredible.

We drove for another couple hundred miles and stopped for dinner in Sioux City, IA. Thanks to our handy guidebook Roadfood, we knew to stop at Tastee Inn & Out. It's really a misnomer since the restaurant only has drive-through and a takeout window. Still, Carl and I had an excellent dinner at the picnic table nearby. After some onion rings, a milkshake, and our Tastee sandwiches we were on our way.

Drew at Tastee Inn & Out

Sioux Falls was much bigger than Carl and I thought it would be. We drove through so many small country towns during the day and expected Sioux Falls to be the same. With more than 150,000 residents, it's South Dakota's largest city and home to the impressive Falls of the Big Sioux River. Sitting by the water was a relaxing way to end the day. Tomorrow we go camping.

Drew & Carl at Falls Park

Day 4: Wrigley, Sears, and Mormons: A Perfect Combination

Chicago, IL

Today we took our first form of public transportation in Chicago. The "L" train system is very clean and got us where we needed to go with no hassle. Taking the Red Line towards Howard, Drew and I exited at Addison, right next to Wrigley Field. We walked down Addison until we saw the famous red Wrigley Field sign, which we learned is now a protected Chicago landmark. We entered the stadium directly under the sign to begin our tour of the ball park. 

Wrigley Field is awesome. Built in 1914, it is the second oldest park only behind Fenway Park in Boston. We learned all about the history of how the Cubs came to occupy the park and how rowdy Chicagoans can become during baseball season. Apparently, the "Bleacher Bums" caused quite a scene back in the sixties and seventies. The rooftop bleachers are also a staple of Wrigley, and may cause a problem when the Cubs finally try to install a Jumbotron in the near future because this may obscure the view from the roofs. After sitting in the bleachers in center field, we walked into the old, tiny visitors clubhouse, sat in the tiny pressbox, strolled through the less tiny Cubs clubhouse, and finally stepped onto the field. I took a few pretend practice swings in the on-deck circle to get my money's worth, and then Drew and I got back on the "L" and headed downtown. 

Entering Wrigley Field

Drew and I outside the Cubs' dugout

After getting off the subway, we got some lunch at Portillo's Hotdogs. The hotdogs had hot peppers, a pickle spear, relish, mustard, and tomato. It was probably the best hotdog I've ever had. Amazingly delicious. Extremely full, we walked to Merchandise Mart to check out Tech Week. I felt very out of place, but at least Drew enjoyed it a bit. Basically, a bunch of startup tech companies had booths and they just explained their products. We were there for about a half hour before we'd had enough.

We then decided to check out the line to the Sky Deck in the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. The line was surprisingly short considering the 25,000 people each day who zoom up the elevators to floor 103. We learned that the Willis Tower was the tallest building in the world for twenty-three years. Recently, the architects added four enclosed glass ledges in which visitors can stand and look straight down 1353 feet to the streets below. This made waiting in the line worth it and we got some neat photos.

Panoramic View from the Sky Deck in the Willis Tower

Drew and I in the glass box on the Sky Deck of Willis Tower

Our nighttime activity consisted of a nice Italian meal at Trattoria No. 10 and seeing The Book of Mormon musical, which was absolutely terrific. This was the funniest musical I have ever seen and, even though we were in the highest part of the theater, way up in the balcony, I am certain that the actors and actresses could hear our laughter. Our phones both dead, Drew and I walked back to the apartment to get a good night's rest before leaving early Friday morning to beat the traffic from the Blackhawks championship parade.

Day 3: Improvised Fun

Chicago, IL

Today we explored the city. Chicago is known for its architecture and we saw it all during our Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise. I was impressed by the Trump Tower, the Willis Tower, and some of Chicago's finest ingenuity. Did you know that engineers reversed the Chicago River so that the city could send its sewage to St. Louis? Brilliant. Let Missouri have all the radioactive fish.

Carl and Drew cruise the Chicago River

For lunch, Carl and I went to the Billy Goat Tavern. The place is known for being one of the first fast food restaurants in Chicago. It wasn't a chain or anything, and the inside was pretty dumpy, but those hamburgers were delicious.

After our $6.50 combo lunches, Carl and I set off to explore the city. We planned to visit the Field Columbian Museum but got distracted along the way. First, we stopped at the Cloud Gateway. This metallic bean showed the Chicago skyline and all sort of angles. So, of course, Carl proceeded to take 9 million photos. We went to the Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain and then the marina. It was sunny and nice... never quite made it to the museum.

Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate

Finally, it was time for Second City. Since I had seen their Toronto troupe perform last summer (and really enjoyed it), I had high expectations. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Wells on Wells and made our way to the theater. 

It was a blast. The show was broken into 3 acts. The first and second were rehearsed but third was entirely improvised. We laughed, we cringed and had a few drinks. In one skit, the actors pretended to be in the future, studying archives from 2013. Apparently 90% of recorded history consisted of cat videos and pictures of food "right before being eaten". It was very funny show. Hope to see the actors and actresses on SNL some day.

Day 2: Cleveland to Chi City

After watching the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in grand fashion, we slept quite well in our Cleveland hotel. We woke up at a respectable hour of 8:30, got breakfast and walked through the surprisingly clean streets of Cleveland to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Located on the shore of Lake Erie, next to the Cleveland Brown's First Energy Stadium, the Hall of Fame is a mostly glass building. We got there right when it opened and promptly received our red wristbands allowing us to peruse the thousands and thousands of artifacts of musical geniuses. We could have spent at least an entire day in the museum learning about Elvis and his philanthropic achievements, or watching endless videos of American Bandstand, but we could only stay for three hours before grabbing lunch at Al's Deli in Downtown Cleveland and starting our journey to Chicago. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH

We stopped just short of Chicago at Lakeshore Dunes National Park in Indiana, which is a popular beach destination. Even though the weather looked very ominous, we sat on the beach for a few minutes before getting eaten alive by flies. Then we climbed a large sand dune with a great view of the lake and incoming storm. The lightning began to strike and we scurried into the car, closing the door as the rain drops started to fall. Drew and I then high-fived to celebrate our amazing timing. We drove another hour before fireworks from the Chicago White Sox game welcomed our arrival. 

Rain over Lake Erie at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Dinner was some classic deep dish pizza. After that we met up with Dan Klein who brought us to a live band karaoke bar called Bub City. Fifteen minutes after we arrived, people started piling into the bar, standing on seats, looking anxiously towards the door. Before long, the Stanley Cup and entire Blackhawks team entered to a huge applause. It was awesome, and was a fitting end to our second day on the road.

NHL playoffs MVP Patrick Kane holding the Stanley Cup. 

Day 1: Farewell Nueva Jersey

Voorhees, NJ to Cleveland, OH

First day on the road was a great success! Carl B and I began our journey at 10 AM and quickly got in the groove. We drove through Philadelphia, waved to Harrisburg, and made it to our very first destination, Popeye's Chicken. But don't worry -- the day wasn't all fastfood and bathroom stops.

Just south of Pittsburgh is the small town of Mill Run, PA and home to Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece, Fallingwater. Designed for the Kaufmann family, this "cabin in the woods" was quite literally built on top of a waterfall. Carl B had a field day, asking all the right questions and sharing a fun fact here and there.

Carl B at Fallingwater

After our brief pitstop in southwestern PA, we continued on to Cleveland. The drive was easy with Stephen Fry narrating Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. If you're like us and haven't actually read the books, don't. It's a lot more fun when a british guy reads it to you.

We arrived in Cleveland around 8:30 PM and enjoyed dinner at the Winking Lizard. 12 hours ago I was nervous about how much driving we'd be doing but after today, I'm confident our trip will be a great time.